Cannon-pinion for watches



(No Model.) v

0. W. HOEN. CANNON PINION PoR WATCHES.

No. 558,558. Patented Apr. 21, 1896.

I WMM/wow d@ J UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

CHARLES IV. I'IOFN, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

CANNON-PINION FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,558, dated April 21, 1896.

.Application filed August 17, 1895. Serial No. 559,631. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAELEs W. HoEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oannon-Pinions for lVa-tches or Clocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in cannon-pinions for watches or clocks and the means for securing the same to the center-post; and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the specification, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a middle ver-` tical section showing the center-post, however, in elevation, on the line :t oo of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the caniioii-pinion and its tubular extension. Fig. l is a side elevation of the center-post. Fig.

5 is a side elevation of the retaining-sleeve, and Fig. G is a front elevation of the retaining spring-plate coperatiiig with said sleeve.

The object of my invention is to construct a cannon-pinion for watches wherein the frictional contact which secures said pinion to the center-post shall be constant, preventing any lost motion between the center-post and the niinute-hand carried by the cannon-pinion under circumstances when resistance is oitered to the free movement of said hand, when, for example, the hand accidentally comes in contact with the interior uneven surface of the watcli-crystal, as is very often the case.

By my present invention sufficient frictional contact between the cannon-pinion and V the center-post is always insured to overcome any resistance offered to the hand carried by the pinion. In detail the invention may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, l is the center post or pivot over which is passed the cannon-piiiion 2, the latter having secured thereto or formed integral therewith a tubular extension 3, by means of which the cannonpinion is slipped over the post and frictionally secured thereto. The tubular extension is provided with a longitudinal peripheral closed slit or slot 4, having lateral walls 5 an d end walls G, and being of suiiicient depth or dimensions to freely expose the side wall of the center-post. (See Fig. 2.) Near the upper or free end of the center-post is formed a bevel-shoulder 7, from which extends a terminal head S, having outwardly -inclined walls, and when the center-post is inserted fully into the tubular extension of the cannon-pinion, as seen in Fig. l, the shoulder 7 occupies a position adjacent to the face of the upper end wall 6 of the slot 4c and within the limits of said slot. The bottom of the extension 3 is provided with a collar 9 for liniiting the position of a cylindrical bindingsleeve l0, adapted to be passed over the extension and snugly hugging the outer walls of the saine. Resting upon the side walls 5 of the slot 4, and having expanded ends ll to freely span the width of the slot from one side wall to the other, is an outwardly-convex detachable spring-plate l2, adapted to be inserted over the slot 4:. After the springplate is in place the sleeve l is passed over the extension 3 and the said spring-plate carried by it, the sleeve by this action compressing or expanding the plate, causing the terminal ends of the same to bear firmly against the side walls of the slot and against the base of the expanded head 8, as seen in Fig. l.

It will be understood, of course, that the normal convexity of the plate l2 is such that before the sleeve 10 is passed over the plate the medial or reduced portion ,of the latter bulges out beyond the limits of the inner walls of the sleeve. The minute-hand is passed over and held by the outer end of the tubular extension 3, being limited by the slioulder 13 of the same.

To readily allow the upper end of the springplate l2 to engage with the base of the head S and pass over the bevel-shoulder 7, the adjacent upper ends or portions of the side walls 5 are correspondingly beveled or cut inwardly, as shown at la-that is to say, they are cut in sufficiently to allow the end of the plate to pass over the incline of the bevel-shoulder 7. It will thus be seen that by the passing of the sleeve l0 over the tubular extension 3 and the spring-plate carried by it the several parts will be brought into iirm frictional engagement IOO with one another, the friction being enhanced by the inclination of the walls or sides of the head 8. The cannon-pinion will thus be brought into irm frictional engagement with the center-post, preventing that loss of m0- tion between it and the hand carried by the extension previously referred to.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a watch mechanism, a center-post, a cannon-pinion passed over the same, a tubular extension forming a part of said cannonpinion, a longitudinal closed slot having lateral and terminal walls cut from the walls of the extension to expose the center-post, an outwardly-convex spring-plate adapted to span the slot and engage at both ends the exposed portion of the center-post, and a sleeve adapted to be passed over the extension and the spring-plate carried by it to firmly bind the parts together, substantially as set forth.

2. In a watch 1nechanism,a center-post having a reduced end, a bevel-shoulder formed in the path of the same, a terminal head having walls outwardly inclined from the shoulder, a cannon-pinion and tubular extension adapted to be passed over the reduced portion of the center post, a longitudinal peripheral closed slot out in the walls of the tubular eX- tension, the shoulder on the center-post being located adjacent to the end wall of the slot and Within the limits of the slot, a separate outwardly-convex spring-plate adapted to have one end pass over the shoulder of the center-post and engage the base of the eX- panded head, a sleeve adapted to be passed over the tubular extension and spring-plate, and a limiting-collar on the tubular extension against which the sleeve is adapted to rest, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. HOEN. Witnesses:

LEE SALE, E. STAREK. 

